Warning! Contains SPOILERS for Nope.
Jordan Peele's newest horror film Peele's Get Out and Us, Nope is yet another fresh take on the horror genre from Peele that explores pressing social issues as it horrifies and delights in equal measure. Nope may seem at first glance to be a straightforward horror-comedy, but its many unanswered questions bear thinking about, and reward potential rewatches.
Nope follows siblings OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Em Haywood (Keke Palmer) as they try to run their family ranch in the wake of the tragic death of their father, Otis Sr. (Keith David). The two notice something odd in the sky over the ranch and spend the majority of the film trying to get a good look at it. Interspersed through the movie is a repeated reference to a moment from the past of one of Nope's cast of characters named Ricky "Jupe" Park (Steven Yeun), who, as a child actor, starred in a sitcom alongside a chimpanzee named Gordy. Because of the unpredictable nature of working with a wild animal, Gordy snapped on set one day and maimed several cast and crew - which is key to understanding the mysteries behind Nope.
Nope has a throughline of wild animal attacks, capitalizing on spectacle, reckless disregard for safety, and what people are willing to sacrifice for "money shots" and a little bit of fame. It tells its story in a stripped-back way, leaving a lot on the table for viewers to digest and from which to draw their own conclusions. In exploring Nope's mysteries and unanswered questions, it becomes apparent that Jordan Peele's approach to storytelling is one of a "less is more" mentality — as he gives just enough information to make audiences do some work to decide the full meaning of his projects. Here are Nope's biggest unanswered questions and mysteries explained.
Is Nope Really About Aliens?
's title proves an alien connection (with NOPE standing for "Not Of Planet Earth"). While Nope certainly evokes alien imagery and a feeling of alienness with its UFO, it can't be unequivocally stated that the thing in the sky above the Haywood Horse Ranch is an alien by the movie's end.
Was Otis Sr. Actually Killed By The UFO?
One of Nope's early scenes features Otis Sr. being struck in the face by a nickel falling from the sky - ultimately killing him. His son OJ calls this a "bad miracle." Later in the film, the UFO is seen discarding anything inorganic from its mouth, raining debris on the Haywood Ranch. While it's not explicitly confirmed, it's heavily suggested that the UFO did something similar on the day Otis Sr. died, causing his death inadvertently.
Why Did The UFO Wait Until The End To Change Form?
There's no post-credits scene in Nope to wrap up loose ends or explain any of its mysteries, meaning one of the biggest headscratchers in Nope happens toward the end of its runtime. In one of the movie's final moments, the UFO changes from looking like a ship — the form it's used all movie long — and suddenly looks more creature-like, complete with a big eye and a billowing sail-like body. Yet Jordan Peele leaves it unclear exactly why this change happens or what it means. Perhaps the UFO had chosen the ship-like shape to match the expectations of the people around it, but it's not shown to have that level of understanding or intelligence in the movie. It makes for a cool visual, but there's no explicit reason given in Nope for the change to the UFO or why it happens so late in the film.
What's Up With Nope's Chimp? Is Gordy An Alien?
Many references are made to Gordy in Nope, and the meaning of the character is fairly challenging to decipher. His rampage scene is graphic and horrific, and it clearly haunts Jupe. Given Nope's narrative focus on aliens, viewers may be tempted to jump to the conclusion that Gordy is being affected by aliens or might even be one himself. However, there's nothing in Nope that suggest Gordy is an alien. Instead, he fills a similar role to the UFO of being a dangerous creature surrounded by spectacle that capitalizing individuals make use of to turn a profit despite the danger inherent in such an endeavor. In this way, Gordy is emblematic of throwing caution to the wind to make a quick buck, something repeated with the UFO in Nope.
Why Is That Shoe Standing Up On Its Own In The Chimp Scene?
Still, in the infamous Gordy scene, there's a tight focus on a shoe that seems to be standing up of its own accord. No explanation is given in Nope for why the shoe is standing up on its own. The shoe was so important to Jupe that he's kept it and displays it in his secret memorabilia room in a place of prominence. As a result, the shoe seems to represent the same idea OJ gave at another point in Nope: it's a bad miracle. It's a bit of wonder amid the chaos and horror caused by Gordy's rampage.
It's also altogether possible that the shoe wasn't even standing up or at all special. The scene is only ever viewed from Jupe's point of view, and his picking out of one banal object might have saved his life, given the danger Nope shows in looking a wild animal in the eye. If focusing on the shoe saved his life, Jupe might it as special or odd, even if it really wasn't.
What's The Meaning Of Jordan Peele's Nope?
There's a reason Nope was one of Jordan Peele's Nope isn't just an alien horror film — it's a social commentary on image culture, fame, and what it does to people.
